Ezra 3:1-13 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 3:1-7

Here is, I. A general assembly of the returned Israelites at Jerusalem, in the seventh month, Ezra 3:1. We may suppose that they came from Babylon in the spring, and must allow at least four months for the journey, for so long Ezra and his company were in coming, Ezra 7:9. The seventh month therefore soon came, in which many of the feasts of the Lord were to be solemnized; and then they gathered themselves together by agreement among themselves, rather than by the command of authority, to... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 3:8-13

There was no dispute among the returned Jews whether they should build the temple or no; that was immediately resolved on, and that it should be done with all speed; what comfort could they take in their own land if they had not that token of God's presence with them and the record of his name among them? We have here therefore an account of the beginning of that good work. Observe, I. When it was begun-in the second month of the second year, as soon as ever the season of the year would permit... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:1

And when the seventh month was come ,.... The month Tisri, which answers to part of September and October; or when it "was approaching" F16 ויגע "cum appropinquaret", Piscator. , for before it was actually come some following things were done, the people met, and an altar was built; for on the first day of it sacrifices were offered, Ezra 3:6 , and the children of Israel were in the cities ; their respective cities, settling their domestic affairs: the people gathered... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:2

Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak ,.... Who was the high priest, and the proper person to give the lead in the following work: and his brethren the priests ; the common priests, very fit to join him, and assist him in it: and Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel ; the prince and governor of Judah, whose presence was necessary to give countenance to the work, and animate to it: and his brethren ; the princes and heads of the people, particularly those mentioned Ezra 2:2 and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:3

And they set the altar upon his bases ,.... Which might remain of the old altar; or the meaning is, that it was fixed and settled on the same spot where it stood before: for fear was upon them, because of the people of those countries ; and therefore they hastened to erect an altar, and offer sacrifices to the Lord, in hope that he would appear for them, and help them against their enemies; or rather, as some render the words F17 כי "quamvis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:4

They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written ,.... According to the rules prescribed for the observation of it in Leviticus 23:34 this began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month: and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required ; for on all the eight days of the feast there was a certain number of sacrifices fixed for every day; and exactly according to the law concerning them did they offer them at this time;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:5

And afterwards offered the continual burnt offering ,.... Not after the feast of tabernacles, as if they then began to offer the daily sacrifice; for that they did as soon as the altar was set up, and on the first day of the month, Ezra 3:3 , rather the sense is, that after the daily burnt offering of the morning, they offered the other sacrifices peculiar to the several days of the feast of tabernacles; they never neglected that, yea, always began with it; all the rest were after it, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:6

From the first of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the Lord ,.... And which day was not only a new moon, but a grand festival, the feast of blowing of trumpets, Leviticus 23:24 , and no doubt but they observed the tenth day of this month, with all the rites of it, which was the day of atonement, Leviticus 23:27 , but the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid ; they began first with sacrifices, that having thereby given thanks to God for their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:7

They gave money also to the masons, and to the carpenters ,.... To buy stone and timber with for the building of the temple: and meat and drink and oil unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre ; which were more agreeable to them than money, because there was not plenty of such things in their country, as in the land of Israel: to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa ; as they did at the first building of the temple by Solomon; they cut down cedars at Lebanon, which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:8

Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem ,.... The place where it formerly stood; the Jews seem to have set out from Babylon, in the spring of the preceding year, as it was now of this; which to Jerusalem was a journey of about four months, as Ezra performed it, Ezra 7:9 , but might take up longer time for such a body of people to do it in, being larger than that with him; wherefore, after they had visited their respective cities, and settled their affairs... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 3:1-7

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 3:8-13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:8

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